By Jeff Adolph
Retirement Localities
165 acres of hardwood forest offers a tranquil, unsurpassed naturally beautiful environment, one that is safe and inviting and creates a heart warming ambience in a neighborhood where any aging person would thrive. However, here members of this community can walk hand-in-hand, dance together, and discuss their relationships openly and unself-consciously about their same-sex partners.
The place is Carefree Cove, a GLBT retirement community that provides peace of mind, stunning views of the Snake Mountains and an alternative lifestyle; where split rail fencing, native gardens and stone structures are just some of the special touches that create this fortuitous environment.
The brain-child of Cathy Groene and Gina Razete, both in their fifties was inspired by the need to accommodate the growing number of gay and lesbian retirees, especially when it is anticipated over 5 million within the GLBT community will be fifty years and over by the year 2020.
Plus, it is believed that many gay retirees do not want to struggle any longer for acceptance, as they have done so in the past, not to mention those who want their sexual orientation to be public instead of repressed and hidden as they have done for most of their lives.
As Jeanne Dolan, who a 53 year old online college instructor stated, 'I liked the idea of living in a community where I could be open and accepted, even embraced for who I am.'
And, another potential buyer said, 'It doesn't have to be exclusively gay and lesbian. I just want to be in the majority for once in my life.'
The Carefree Cove development is Groene and Razette's second development; the first situated in Fort Myers, Florida, was constructed in 1994 and is exclusively for women who were promised confidentiality.
As the ladies stated, 'We went through the 70's, the whole feminist thing, asking "Why should these men have private clubs?" As Groene added, 'Now, we're older. We're wiser. We understand that people want to get together.'
Men and women are buying allotments and building at Carefree Cove, which are selling for $40,000 and up.
Frank Bytautas, 47 and a real estate agent bought a property recently in Carefree Cove, where he and his partner Bill Sevigny, a 62 year old grocery chain executive, will retire in the next three years.
As Bytautas said, 'We don't go to all gay restaurants or on all gay vacations, but I think growing old and being with people who have the same lifestyle is great.'
How very true, with the need for a safe place to retire and know that you can count on others within your community for support, GLBT retirement communities will increase, and thanks to the innovative foresight of people like Cathy Groene and Gina Razete this aspiration is slowly becoming reality for many who near their graying years.
Source: White, G (2005) Openly Gay Retirement Communities Growing: available online at http://www.journal-news.com
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© 2006 Jeff Adolph GayRealEstate USA
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